The Pilot and the Scavenger
by Sammi Lane
Summary: Rey meets Poe as soon as she gets to the Resistance Base on D-Qar, much earlier than their initial meeting in The Last Jedi. They begin to form a tight bond with each other, and take on the adventures that the Galactic Civil War presents to them, possibly falling in love along the way.
1. Chapter 1: Beginning

***Author's Note***

**Hello and welcome to my new story! I've never written a Damerey fanfic before, so this should be interesting. I have lots of ideas and I know where I want to go with this, but I'm not quite sure how I'll get there yet:) Anyway, I hope you enjoy the first chapter!**

Chapter 1

As Rey exited the Millenium Falcon, she watched as Finn was loaded onto a stretcher and wheeled away. Her heart broke for him, and she felt as if it was her fault. He had come to Starkiller Base for her after all, and he ended up severely maimed by the feared and dreaded Kylo Ren. The thought of that man made Rey shiver, so she turned her attention to the bustling Resistance base for a distraction. But, her thoughts immediately went back to Finn. She could only hope that he would be able to heal and recover normally.

She made her way down the ramp and was immediately approached by BB-8, her trusty friend that got her into this whole mess. She appreciated him though, for she wouldn't have met Finn, Chewy, and Han Solo without him. Her thoughts dwelled on Han. She only knew him for a short time, but she began to look to him as a father. Shaking him from her thoughts, she turned her attention to the BB-unit patiently waiting for her to address him.

"You look great BB-8!" she told him, squatting to his level. He beeped a thank you in response, and commented on his antenna. "Yep, it's perfectly straight," she made a show of checking it to make sure. "Does that mean you've been behaving lately?" she joked with the droid. He started to reply, but was cut short by a handsome man wearing an orange pilot jumpsuit, adjourned with dark features and a thick head of curly, dark hair. As he approached, he spoke to the droid first.

"Hey buddy, did you find yourself a friend?" BB-8 beeped in response.

Rey looked up at him from her squatting position and quickly stood up. She suddenly felt very conscious of her appearance. The dirt and grim on her skin, dried blood caked on her arms and forehead, and her three-bun hairstyle coming loose. Before she could say anything, he stepped forward and held out his hand.

"I'm Poe Dameron," he introduced himself. He had a playful expression on his face, almost like he was excited to be in her presence. She stuck out her hand slowly.

"I'm Rey," she smiled slightly. His hand was calloused, yet warm and gentle.

"Oh I know. I've heard lots about you. Both from Finn, and BB-8 here," he gestured to the droid that was looking up at the both of them. "Thank you for saving him, by the way. I know he can be a handful sometimes," he joked, causing the droid to burst into angry yet playful beeps. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" Poe held his hands up in defeat.

"Oh, BB-8 has been great company," she chuckled, giving the droid a wink. Turning her attention back to the man in front of her, she explained, "I've heard a lot about you as well. In fact, it's an honor to be speaking with the best pilot in the Resistance," she smiled as Poe blushed.

"I heard you're pretty good too. I may have some competition!" He raised his eyebrows, giving her a playful look.

"Oh, hardly!" she laughed. Her smile was infectious, and he too found himself laughing.

"You know, being the best pilot in the Resistance, I do have-" he began but looked over Rey's shoulder and was stopped by the sight of General Organa approaching the pair. Rey, confused as to why he stopped mid-sentence, pivoted on her heel and locked eyes with the General. There was an immediate connection between the pair, and Leia quickly approached, pulling Rey into a hug. As she pulled back, she gripped Rey's upper arms.

"I believe we have much to discuss. I see you've already met Poe," she smiled, gesturing towards him. He was still standing behind Rey, yet he didn't know why. Sure, there was probably much better things for him to be doing, but he wanted to continue his talk with Rey. She intrigued him. He'd heard so much about her from Finn and BB-8, and he was eager to learn more.

"Yes I have," Rey said as she turned her neck to look back at Poe. They shared a soft smile, and Rey quickly looked away as her cheeks turned a warm shade of pink.

"I hope he didn't give you too much trouble," Leia proposed. "Sometimes I just don't know what to do with him," she joked as she held her arm out for Rey to take. Rey gladly obliged, feeling as if she could trust this woman. There was something about her that emanated warmth, comfort, and even hope.

"Now if you'll excuse us, Poe. Rey and I do have important manners to discuss," Leia dismissed him, turning and taking Rey along with her. "Oh, and BB-8," she addressed the droid, "Come with us. I hope you don't mind, Poe."

"Of course not, General," Poe replied. "And it was nice to meet you, Rey." he called out to her retreating form. She turned slightly and craned her neck around to briefly look at him.

"It was nice to meet you too, Poe."

* * *

"Well first of all, welcome to D'Qar," Leia attempted to break the ice as she made her way towards the chair behind her desk. BB-8 waited outside the room, while Rey was seated in a chair opposite of the General's desk, hands folded. Leia cleared her throat, uncertain of where exactly to begin with her. She already knew so much about the force-sensitive scavenger from Jakku of all places. She didn't want to be too formal, so she took the chair and moved it around so that it was next to Rey's, rather than having her large and bulky desk create a barrier between them. She decided to start with some light conversation.

"So the Falcon has been on Jakku all this time?" Leia chuckled softly. Rey gave a slight nod, relaxing into her chair a bit. "Who would've thought. I always hated that hunk of junk, but Han was desperate to get his hands on her again," Leia recalled. She swallowed, knowing that Han was a sensitive topic for both her and Rey. Leia reached for Rey's hand, developing it within her own. Rey was surprised at how cold the General's hands were.

"Can you tell me about Ben?" She asked, her voice audibly deeper. Rey looked into her eyes and saw sorrow and it was clear that the General was holding back tears. Rey had heard that name once before, right before Han was murdered by that monster. She quickly connected the dots. Ben was Kylo Ren, before he was corrupted. And he was also Han and Leia's son.

"He interrogated me, knowing that I had seen the map. When he couldn't get what he wanted, he went into my mind," Rey paused, remembering the horrific pain that she felt as he pushed deeper into her mind. Leia's face was sympathetic as her mouth formed a straight line.

"He did the same to Poe," she nodded, mentioning him to hopefully put Rey at ease. She had witnessed their conversation earlier, and quickly noticed how comfortable Rey seemed around him. "Rey, how did you escape him?" She was curious. She could feel that Rey had a strong connection to the force.

"It's difficult to explain," Rey began. "I don't know how, but when I ordered the Stormtroopers to release my restraints, they simply did it. It was as if I was controlling them," she proposed with a puzzled look on her face. Saying it out loud sounded ridiculous to Rey, but she was put at ease when she noticed Leia nodding as if she understood completely.

"Tell me what happened next," Leia commanded lightly.

"I found Finn, Chewy, and Han. We had split up, and then Finn and I found Han and Kylo Ren. We tried to get to him but we were so far away," Rey swallowed hard, fighting the tears. Leia stroked her hand.

"It's alright, Rey. There was nothing you could have done. Han would never have left without trying to get Ben to come home," Leia confessed. He was so stubborn.

"After Kylo Ren-" she paused. She didn't want to say it, so she moved on. "Finn and I panicked and made our way outside, but Kylo Ren caught up with us. I was pushed back, and fell unconscious. I don't know how long Finn fought him. I fought him too," Rey shuddered, remembering their fight vividly. "He tried to get me to join him. He said that I needed a teacher to show me the ways of the force. That's when something came over me. I don't know what it was, but it was this new strength. Just when I thought he had beaten me, I attacked," Rey confessed.

Leia listened in shock. She knew how powerful her son was, especially in lightsaber duels. "I had the chance to kill him, but I didn't," Rey spoke. She didn't understand why she let him go. He was a monster and killed Han Solo, yet she let him go.

"Do you have Luke's lightsaber?" Leia asked her, taking the topic away from her son. She could tell that his connection with Rey only puzzled the girl.

"Yes, it's on the Falcon," Rey spoke. "Speaking of, the Falcon seems to have quite a lot of damage. They must have had a rough landing," Rey confessed.

"I'm not surprised," Leia sighed. "Rey, I would like to continue our conversation, but I know you're probably worried about Finn," she proposed. She needed to figure out what to do next. Rey clearly needed a teacher, but there was still no way to find Luke. They only had a small part of the map. Besides, she had a meeting in half and hour and needed to gather herself before.

Rey nodded quickly. "Yes, I am. He'll be okay, won't he?" Rey asked, worry etched on her face. Leia was uncertain, for she hadn't had a chance to check his diagnostics. From what she heard, Ben had sliced him up the back. She knew how dangerous that could be.

"I haven't had a chance to check," she confessed. "Why don't you go visit him. BB-8 can take you, and afterwards he'll show you to the room I have arranged for you. I will send someone to show you around the base later. I'd personally do it, but I have a meeting shortly."

"Thank you, General," Rey nodded as she got to her feet.

"Please, call me Leia."

Rey smiled softly. "Thank you, Leia," she corrected herself as she opened the door. BB-8 was waiting outside for her and she greeted him.

"BB-8, take Rey to see Finn, and show her to her room afterwards," Leia commanded. The droid beeped in response and motioned for Rey to follow him. As the pair made their way through the base, Rey was thankful for the little droid. There were so many twists and turns in the hallways that she was sure she'd get lost without him. She was getting dizzy as she attempted to remember their path.

After what Rey guessed to be about five minutes, she found herself following BB-8 passed rooms that she could tell were clearly used for medical purposes due to the various equipment present in them. The droid led her to a door that was closed, yet not latched. BB-8 nudged the door open and let out excited beeps as he darted into the room. Rey peeked in and saw Finn laying unconscious on a medical bed, as a man in an orange jumpsuit with dark curly hair sat in a chair beside the bed, back facing her. He turned at the sound of his droid, eyes darting up to meet Rey's. She was still standing at the door, not quite sure if she should enter. She figured he may want to be left alone. She knew he was close to Finn.

"Hey," he breathed out with a small sigh. Rey swallowed, his short response confirming that he probably wanted to be left alone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," she said. She was puzzled by the fact that she felt flustered. "I'll come back another time," she stated before turning on her heel to leave.

"Wait," he chuckled, standing up and making his way towards her. "I wouldn't mind some company."

"Oh," she quietly said, a little embarrassed by her quick judgement. She stepped forward then, looking at him briefly before looking towards the floor and making her way past him and towards the bed.

"If you'd like to be left alone, I can go. I've been here for a while," he admitted. Rey turned towards him and noticed a warmth in his cheeks. He brought his hand to his head and ran his fingers through his curly hair. Rey stared for a moment, swallowing slightly. He was hoping she would like his company. He'd been thinking about her ever since their first, and only, conversation.

"No of course not," she replied. "You were here before me anyways," she smiled slightly. At this, Poe walked closer to her and stood beside her as she turned back towards Finn. He looked so peaceful, and much younger than usual. She stared at him as she recalled their adventures. She hadn't been with him for long, but they'd already faced so much. She was broken from her trance when Poe spoke up.

"A lightsaber, huh?" he asked her.

She turned her head towards him slightly. "Yes," she confirmed. She wondered how he knew this. She and Chewy were the only ones who were with him, and she had only told Leia.

As if he could hear her thoughts, he responded, "News travels fast here. I bet Chewy probably spread the news." Rey huffed slightly, amused at this. "I also heard that you battled Kylo Ren too," he claimed. She could sense some bitterness in the way he said his name. Then, she recalled what Leia had mentioned in their conversation. He had been tortured too.

"I did. We were just lucky we escaped," she confirmed. She didn't want to share the part where she hesitated to kill him. Not to Poe, who she assumed had great malice towards that monster.

"I'm glad you escaped. BB-8 would've been devastated," Poe nudged her with his shoulder, hoping to add more lightness to their conversation. They both let out small laughs.

"Commander Dameron and... Rey is it?" Poe and Rey turned quickly. Rey nodded. "I'm Doctor Kalonia," she introduced herself to Rey.

"Doctor!" Poe exclaimed, before turning towards Rey. "We should probably get out of her hair," he proposed quickly before grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the room. She let him drag her a ways down the hallway before she stopped him, pulling her hand back.

"What was-" she began.

"We don't exactly get along," he sighed softly, giving Rey a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. She narrowed her eyes at him slightly but decided not to poke. She could tell he didn't want to discuss it. "Anyway," he began as BB-8 joined them. He nudged Poe's leg, causing him to question the droid.

"Her room? Well what room has she been assigned?" he asked the droid. "Oh," he said disappointedly.

"What? What's wrong with my room?" Rey questioned.

"Nothing's wrong with it," Poe stated as he ran his fingers through his hair. Maybe he does that when he's nervous, Rey thought. Or uncomfortable?

"I'll bring you to it."

"Thank you, Poe," Rey smiled. She noted how kind and welcoming he acted towards her, something very different than what she usually experienced on Jakku. The pair, followed by BB-8, only had to walk a short distance before Poe stopped at a door and punched in the code that BB-8 provided.

"General Organa put you close to the medical bay," he commented as the door opened. "My quarters are on the other side of the base," he added, looking put-off. Rey considered this to be the reason he wasn't excited about her room earlier, but she quickly dismissed the idea.

"Wow, this is great!" Rey smiled, entering and standing in the middle of the room. Poe looked at her with astonishment. This room was in no way enviable, everything being extremely cramped and dark. There was a bed with a very thin mattress and a small dresser, and the door to her refresher was opposite the bed. He didn't even want to imagine how sad that would be. He began to think of how privileged he must be. He received much better accommodations due to his ranking.

Rey turned to him and noticed the look on his face. He bit his lip to try to hide his indifference towards the room. "I've never had my own room before," she said sheepishly. This struck Poe hard. He had always had his own room. Growing up on Yavin IV as an only child, he realized he really was privileged. He cleared his throat.

"Right, well it's not too bad in here," he lied. "Anyway, I'm getting pretty hungry. I'll probably make my way to the mess. Do you want to come?"

Rey looked at him for a second before replying, "I think I'll pass. I want to freshen up and get used to my new room," she politely declined. It wasn't a total lie. She did want to spend more time with him, but the desire to curl up in her new bed and reflect on the past few days was too tempting to pass up. She couldn't remember the last time she rested.

Poe would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed. "Alright, well I'm sure I'll see you around sometime," he commented.

"I'll see you around," she smiled at him. He paused briefly as he stared at her, and then quickly turned on his heel and exited her room. Rey went towards her bed and sat. She felt extremely dirty, but didn't have much time to dwell on this before her body gave into the comfort and she collapsed on the bed in slumber.

***Author's Note***

**And there's the first chapter! I hope you all enjoyed. Please leave a review! I'd love to know your thoughts, and hear some suggestions about where you want this story to go. The second chapter should be up within the next two days. Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2: Encounters

***Author's Note***

**Here's another chapter! This one was really fun to write. I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 2

Rey abruptly awoke, realizing that she was pulled out of her deep sleep by a knock on her door. She sighed deeply as she sat up slowly. She still hadn't visited the refresher, and she was in desperate need of it. She crossed the room and opened the door. She was met with the sight of a short women with a round face, slanted eyes, and short, dark hair.

"Hi, I'm Rose!" The woman greeted, sticking out her hand. Rey noticed some dark smudges on the girl's hand, but reached for it anyway. She figured she couldn't possibly get any dirtier than she was now.

"I'm Rey," she smiled slightly. There was a pause, neither of the two speaking. Rose stared at Rey in awe, and Rey quickly blushed and averted her eyes to the floor. She wasn't use to getting this much praise, attention, and even admiration.

"I'm sorry for bothering you!" Rose spoke quickly. "I'm sure you must be extremely tired. My room is right down the hall, so I figured I'd introduce myself."

Rey chuckled slightly at how nervous she seemed. "It's alright," she smiled. "I just woke up actually."

"I see. I'm a mechanic," Rose began but was cut off by the sound of Rey's stomach growling. The two both laughed at this. "I take it you must be hungry."

"I'm starving!" Rey exclaimed, still chuckling. She was quickly taking a liking to Rose.

"Do you want to go to the mess?" Rose asked. "I was actually about to go myself."

"I'd love to, but do you mind if I wash first?" Rey proposed. "I fell asleep without cleaning off, and I feel awful," she added.

"Of course! Do you need some clothes? They don't exactly provide much to newcomers here," Rose politely commented.

"That would be great," Rey smiled. She greatly appreciated Rose's generosity. As much as she finds comfort in the strips of cloths that she utilized as her clothes on Jakku, she hadn't had a chance to wash them in ages. She was sure they didn't smell too great.

"I'll see what I can find for you in my room. Go ahead and wash up, and I'll leave them on the bed. Come to my room when you're ready, two doors down!" Rose added before turning on her heel and making her way down the hallway.

Rey smiled to herself as she entered the refresher. Everyone was being so kind to her here. First Poe, and then Leia, and now Rose. She wondered if their generosity was just normal, or if they were treating her differently because of her recent experiences. This thought quickly went to the back of her mind as she pressed a button that let out a warm flow of water. She took off her clothes and stepped underneath the stream, letting out a deep sigh. She never had the luxury of a refresher before.

There was a bottle on the floor of the shower, along with a bar of soap. She squeezed the contents of the bottle into her hand. It came out white and slimy, and she put it in her hair. She had heard of shampoo before, but had never had a chance to use it. It smelled amazing to her. She used the bar of soap to scrub at her skin, attempting to remove all the dried blood and dirt from her body. After praising herself for managing to uncover her naturally tanned skin, she pressed the same button that turned the water on, and the stream turned off.

Stepping out, she opened a cabinet that was adjacent to the refresher and found a pile of towels. After drying her self off, she wrapped the towel around her and stepped into her room, eyes immediately going to the folded clothes that had been left on her bed by Rose. She examined them closely, noticing that Rose had picked out a grey pair of pants and white long sleeve shirt, as well as a grey vest that matched the pants. She also had added a pair of underwear and breast band, which Rey was thankful for. She didn't want to have to use her dirty ones.

After dressing and putting her boots back on, she combed out her hair with her fingers and let it fall to her shoulders, pinning a little back. Exiting her room, she walked the short distance to Rose's room, knocking softly. Within seconds, Rose had opened the door and stepped out, closing the door behind her.

"You look great!" She commented.

"Thank you for the clothes," Rey smiled as she was directed through the hallways by Rose. "This place is so big. How do you know where you're going?" Rey asked, puzzled.

"I guess you just get used to it after a while," Rose answered honestly. Before Rey knew it, the pair had entered a large room filled with tables and a few longer tables for the food. "The food's not great here," Rose commented, "but it's not too bad!"

Rose handed Rey a tray, and Rey followed behind her. She figured if Rose would eat something, she would try it. Their plates were quite similar, save for the soup that Rose had warned was extremely spicy. Rey opted out of that.

As Rey followed Rose to a table towards the back of the room, she spotted Poe sitting with a group of people. He was animately talking to them at a large table, making them all laugh hysterically. She wondered what he must be saying to get that kind of reaction. She noticed that he was no longer in his orange jumpsuit, but rather in tan pants and a cream colored shirt, sleeves pushed up to his elbows.

She looked away as the pair made it to an empty table, sitting down across from each other. They quickly launched into a discussion, Rey picking Rose's brain about being a Resistance mechanic. Rey had always loved to fix things, and she soon became intrigued by Rose's job.

"I'll have to introduce you to the others sometime," Rose excitedly suggested. "They'd absolutely love you!"

Rey laughed. "That'd be great," she answered.

"Have you met anyone else here yet?" Rose asked her, changing the subject.

"I met Leia when I first arrived, and Poe as well," she answered.

"Poe Dameron?" she asked, her eyebrows shooting up and eyes widening. Rey turned her head to look slightly in Poe's direction. He was still at the same table, his smile lighting up the room.

"Yes, why?" Rey asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"I don't know him too well, but I know that he has a bit of a reputation around here. He didn't try to, uhm," she paused. "charm you, did he?" she finished.

"Charm me? You mean like," Rey hesitated. She didn't know exactly how to put it. Thankfully Rose interrupted her.

"He's a bit of a ladies man. Always going from girl to girl," she looked down.

"Oh," Rey answered, looking back towards him. She noticed now that the table was mostly filled with women, one sitting rather close to Poe. "I didn't expect that. He seemed so-" She paused.

"Generous? Caring? Charming?" Rose finished for her. "Classic Poe. Or at least that's what I've heard."

Rey sighed heavily. Those were the exact words she was thinking. She tried not to let the disappointment show on her face. So what if the first person she met here turned out to be not what she expected. She could at least tell that Rose was genuine.

"Sorry to put a damper on things," Rose stated, looking down. Rey must've not been hiding her emotions too well.

"It's alright," Rey faked a smile. Rose smiled back at her.

"I'm going to go grab a cup of coffee, do you want one?" she asked Rey.

"No thanks," Rey replied as Rose got up.

"Be right back!" she smiled as she walked back towards the main section of the hall. Rey sat quietly, thinking about what Rose had just shared with her about Poe. How could she not have seen that? She figured he must be really good at... How did Rose phrase it? Charming girls?

"Hey Rey, you alone?" she heard a voice approaching. She turned her head and was met with the man that was currently occupying her thoughts. She panicked, swallowing audibly.

"Hi Poe," she began, voice shaking. "Uhm, no. Rose just went to get some..." she paused. She couldn't remember the word Rose had used, for she didn't know exactly what is was. "something to drink," she finished, completely guessing. Poe sat down beside her, a little too close than she was expecting. Even after what Rose had said, she couldn't stop herself from studying his features. He was very pleasing to look at, she couldn't deny it.

"You look good. Great actually. You smell nice too," he complimented. His eyes widened slightly, as if he didn't mean to say that out loud. Rey noticed him bring his hand to his hair. He cleared his throat as Rey laughed lightly, unsure of how to act around him.

"Thank you," she smiled. They looked at each other, neither one speaking. Rey focused on the dark color of his eyes. She didn't stare for too long, before he spoke.

"Do you-" he began to ask but was interrupted.

"Oh, hey Poe," Rose greeted, approaching the table. The two jumped slightly apart, as if they had just been caught. Rose stared at them for a moment, before turning to Rey. "They were out. If you'd like stay longer you can," she made a subtle gesture towards Poe, "but I'm probably going to head back to my room. I have an early shift tomorrow."

Rey briefly looked back towards Poe and stood up. "That's alright, I'll head back with you," she smiled. Poe stood up as well. He seemed put-off, like he was disappointed by her leaving. Rose made her way towards the doors, and Rey went to follow her before turning back to Poe.

"Did you want to ask me something?" she recalled, interested in what he was going to say before they were interrupted.

"I uhm," he paused, looking towards the ground. "Forget about it," he smiled slightly. "Have a good night, Rey," he bid her farewell.

"You too," she politely returned before following Rose out of the mess. The two made their way back to their rooms, Poe never leaving Rey's mind.

* * *

Rey tossed and turned, sleep seeming impossible at this point. She had only fallen asleep earlier in the day due to her overwhelming fatigue but now she was wide awake. The fact of the matter was that she simply was not used to having a room to herself. And, she also couldn't get her mind to shut down. She reflected on the past few days. Meeting BB-8, Finn, Han Solo, and Chewy. She recalled the mysterious strength she gained while under Kylo Ren's interrogation. She thought of the nasty cut she gave him that ran the length of his face, and the look he gave her as the ground split between them.

Her thoughts drifted to Rose. She was so grateful for the girl. She was great company, and even lent her some more clothes to sleep in. Rey could quickly see them becoming close friends, much like her and Finn.

Then she thought of Poe. He was a mystery to her. The encounters that she had with him so far were filled with humor, generosity, and comfort. Yet she considered what Rose had told her. She wanted to learn more about Poe, but that might not be the best idea.

Her mind still unconsciously fighting sleep, Rey let out a huff and sat up. She changed out of the sleep clothes and back into the clothes that she wore earlier. She figured that if she couldn't sleep, she might as well get a better feel for the base. Rey exited her room and started off towards the direction of the mess hall. She wasn't sure if she was allowed to be out at night, but pushed that thought to the back of her mind. She considered going to see Finn, but knew that his door would most likely be locked. She could always try it, but her curiosity about the base got the best of her.

She found herself at the end of a hallway, face to face with a doorway that was slightly bigger than the ones around it. She figured it would be locked, but decided to try it anyway. It wasn't. Opening the door, she was faced with a sudden gust of humidity. As she stepped through it, she realized that she had found a door to exit the base. Not wanting to go too far in fear of getting lost, she stepped slowly outside. She was surrounded by tall trees and thick foliage. Though it was dark, Rey could still see the beauty that the jungle had to offer.

She used a small nearby stone to hold the door open, afraid of getting locked out. She walked a little ways into the jungle until she found a rather open spot. In the midst of the trees, there was a large, moss-covered rock. She approached it and hoisted herself up so that she was sitting on top of it. She closed her eyes slowly, listening to the sound of the trees swaying in the wind and the creatures in the distance.

She stayed that way for awhile, until she began to consider the possibilities of someone finding the door that she had left open and closing it. She decided that she should head back. She hoisted herself off of the rock and was met with a thought that left her stunned. She didn't know the way back. She had been so caught up with the overwhelming amount of trees that she hadn't payed attention.

She took a guess and headed in one direction, hoping that she would find something that looked familiar. She had no luck. She was about to turn around and head back the other way when something touched her shoulder. She jumped and let out a yelp, turning around to defend herself against her opponent. She reeled her arm back to strike when she locked eyes with Poe.

"Hey! Hey! It's alright, it's just me!" Poe pleaded. Rey put her arm back and let out a relieved sigh, clearly shaken. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that," Poe began, gripping her arm a little tighter and rubbing his thumb back and forth to attempt to calm her down. "Rey, what are you doing out here?" he questioned.

"I could ask you the same question," she rallied back. She was still recovering for the heart attack he about gave her.

"I asked you first," he joked, eyes gleaming with amusement. Very childish, she thought, but she couldn't stop her mouth from tilting up into a smile.

"I couldn't sleep, so I figured I'd explore the base," she answered, not wanting to admit that she was lost. If he realized, he didn't show it. She noticed his thumb still stroking her arm. When he saw her looking at it, he pulled his arm back to his side. She slightly missed the contact, but didn't dare to show it.

"I think you went a little farther than the base," he chuckled slightly. Rey relaxed slightly.

"You can say that again," she answered.

"Have you been out here long?" he asked. "I was about to head back in, if you want to come."

Rey tried to hold back from showing the relief that flooded her emotions. "Yeah I've been out here awhile. I'll head back with you."

The pair walked side by side, sharing light conversation. Rey hadn't realized how deep she had gone into the jungle until they wound up back at the door she had propped open around ten minutes later. Poe kicked the stone away, chuckling to himself as they entered the base.

"Are we allowed to be out at this time?" she asked him, keeping her voice low.

"Kind of. I mean, there's no one to really stop you, since everyone around here values sleep so much that they wouldn't dare to give up their valuable sleep time to wander the halls," he whispered. Rey nodded in response. To her surprise, Poe accompanied her back to her room. She entered the code and the door opened. Rey stepped inside and turned around to see Poe still standing there, fingers playing with the hem of his shirt.

"Thank you for coming back to my room with me," she politely smiled. He looked up at her and gave her a smile that almost knocked her over. She decided right then and there that he was the most gorgeous man she's ever seen. She quickly chastised herself, remembering what Rose had told her earlier.

"Anytime," he stated. "See you around, Rey," he said before making his way down the hall, not giving Rey a chance to reply. She quickly closed the door and leaned against it, overwhelmed. She had never really had a crush on anyone before, but was sure that this is what it felt like. Get a grip, she thought. He wouldn't be interested.

She was about to make her way towards her bed when she discovered that she still was in no way tired. Deciding to go visit Finn, even just to see if his door was unlocked, she opened the door again and made her way into the hallway. She slightly remembered how to get to the medical wing, and knew she was on the right track when she started passing the familiar medical equipment. Making her way to the door that BB-8 had found before, she jiggled the handle, finding it unlocked.

She entered slowly, approaching his bed and sitting on a couch that had replaced the chair that was in there earlier. She tried not to think too hard about Finn's injuries, and attempted to convince herself that he was just sleeping. She stared at him for so long that she started to doze off. Just when she was about to fall completely asleep, she jerked awake at the sound of the door opening.

Eyes meeting eyes, the pair couldn't help but laugh, probably waking half of the medical wing. Poe entered and sat next to her on the couch. "I guess we're just meant to not be alone tonight," he joked as he slightly nudged her shoulder. She looked towards him, a wide smile on her face. She just couldn't seem to shake this man.

"I really didn't even expect his door to be unlocked," she admitted. He nodded, leaning back as Rey pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. They sat in silence, Rey trying not to focus on the man sitting rather close to her. She was curious as to why he was refusing to sleep as well.

Soon she found herself dozing off again. The last thing she remembered was feeling an arm slide around her as she rested her head on Poe's shoulder, drifting off to sleep.

***Author's Note***

**And there's chapter 2! I'm seriously having so much fun with this story so far. Please leave a review! Next chapter should be up within the next two days:)**


	3. Chapter 3: Planning

***Author's Note***

**Here's another chapter! I know that Poe has been a little mysterious so far, so I decided to make this chapter focus on him more. I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 3

"Rey, you need to wake up."

Rey let out a sigh as she cracked her eyes open, shutting them immediately at the blinding light filling Finn's room. She felt a warm hand on her arm, shaking her softly. Her thoughts briefly drifted to the previous night. Her dinner with her new friend Rose, her explorations outside, and Poe finding her and taking her back to her room only for them to meet each other again in Finn's room. At that thought, Rey shot up off the couch, thinking she'd be met with the face of the man she fell asleep with. But it wasn't.

"I hope you sleeping in here doesn't become a habit," Leia smiled, clearly amused.

"It won't become a habit," Rey assured. "I just," she paused, scanning the room for any sign of Poe. He was no where to be seen, confirming that he had left her before she awoke. "I couldn't sleep last night," she finished, leaving out quite a bit of detail. Lucky for her, Leia didn't push.

"I came early this morning to gather updates for you," Leia smiled, eyes directed at the datapad she was holding. "It seems that there aren't many answers. He was placed in a bacta tank as soon as he got in yesterday, and his wounds were treated as much as possible. We'll know a lot more when he wakes up, but we don't know when that will happen. All we can do is wait," she regrettably informed Rey. Rey nodded slowly, disappointed at the news. She was grateful that he still looked somewhat normal though, at least from his horizontal position on the bed.

"As for you," Leia directed towards Rey, "I really hope-" she began but was interrupted by a droid that Rey had never seen.

"Princess, I mean General," he spoke, "I have some exciting news! R2D2 has come back, and he says that he has found the map to Master Luke!" Leia's had snapped up, approaching the droid quickly.

"You're telling me that after all this time, R2D2 has really come back?" she asked him, hope etched all over her face.

"Why yes, he-" he began but paused, turning towards Rey. "I don't believe we've met. I am C3PO, HumanCyborg relations," he told Rey before Leia interrupted him.

"3PO, this is Rey," she introduced quickly before taking Rey's hand and pulling her out the door. Rey could tell that the news that C3PO had brought had created a whole new hope for the General. Rey still hadn't had time to process it. If this other droid really had the entire map to Luke Skywalker, then this might just be a turning point in the war for the Resistance.

Leia and Rey made their way through the hallways quickly before she found herself being pulled into a command room, filled with many higher ranking officers that Rose had pointed out to her during their meal. Leia was approached by an R2 unit, Rey assuming it was the droid called R2D2 that had given everyone so much hope.

Scanning the crowd, her eyes landed on Poe on the opposite side of the room. He looked rather rested, the small bags that protruded rather visibly under his eyes the previous day almost unnoticeable. His eyes landed on hers and he gave her a small smile, quickly looking away. She didn't have much time to dwell on the disappointed feeling flowing through her before R2D2 displayed the map, large and complicated.

Her eyes fell on an area that was not filled in, in which she assumed was the missing piece that had caused so much chaos in her recent life. BB-8 made his way over to Poe, asking for the piece that had been confiscated from him earlier for analyzation. Poe quickly retrieved it, placing it in BB-8's circuit so that the droid could fill in the last piece.

There was a chorus of gasps, everyone surrounding Rey in complete awe. With this information, the Resistance could find Luke, and he could help them restore peace to the galaxy once again. Rey studied the map, most systems familiar to her. The farther her eyes traveled to Luke's location, the more confused she became. She didn't recognize any of the planets and systems at all.

She tore her eyes from the map and looked around her. People were smiling, cheering, patting others on the back, and some even hugging. She received some pats on her shoulder, many praising her for defending the piece of the map so well.

"Rey!" she heard, turning around as her eyes fell on Poe as he approached her. "Isn't this great?" he smiled widely. "We may actually have a chance!" he exclaimed before pulling her into a hug. It didn't last long, him pulling back quickly with a very red face that Rey guessed probably matched hers. "I, uhm," he stuttered before Rey put a hand on his arm. The firmness of his bicep didn't go unnoticed.

"This is great," she smiled.

"You two," Leia called, motioning for both of them to join her in front of the map. They made their way to stand beside her, eyes locked on the map. "Rey I think we need to discuss our course of action."

Rey was shocked. What did she have to do with this? "Me?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Yes, with you," Leia confirmed. "And you as well, Dameron," she looked towards him. He slanted his eyes slightly and gave her a small nod. "Let's talk in my office."

* * *

"I'm sorry, this is just a lot to take in all at once," Rey apologized to Leia. "So, you're saying that I should be the one to retrieve Luke Skywalker, because he could train me to be the next... Jedi?" Rey scrunched her face in confusion. Leia nodded patiently.

"Yes, that is exactly what I am proposing. Rey, I know this is a lot, but you are force sensitive. If I'm correct, you're extremely strong with the force. I believe that the best chance that we have to get Luke to return with you is to give him hope. Hope that there's another like him," she explained. Rey watched as a flash of pain waved over Leia's face as she thought of her son.

"What if I can't do it? What if he won't come with me?" Rey asked, uncertainty creeping in.

"Rey, he'll see reason. He has to," Leia spoke, not just to convince Rey but to also convince herself. "And just in case he doesn't, we'll throw everything we have at him to tune into his," she paused, "emotions."

"What do you mean? Leia, why did he leave?" Rey asked, this question prevalent in her mind.

"That's a question for him," she paused as she looked down briefly and then continued. "Rey, you'll take the Falcon. Chewy and R2 will go as well. And as for you Poe," she finally addressed him, "I want you on this mission as well."

Poe looked up. He had been leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching and listening to the two go back and forth. He'd be lying if he said he was very surprised. Leia had discovered him and Rey cuddling as they slept on the couch in Finn's room just that morning. He had awoken to the sound of her opening the door, but Rey hadn't. He had looked down and was met with a sight that took his breath away. Her head was lying on his stomach, one arm draped across his abdomen and her hair fanned out across his arm that was tightly wrapped around her.

He had quickly remembered his audience and gently scooted out from under Rey, making sure she was cuddled into the couch before taking his eyes off of her.

"You look well rested Commander," Leia had commented. "I take it no nightmares?" she had asked. Her question left him shocked. The truth was, he had been having nightmares every night since his imprisonment and torture session with Kylo Ren. He had barely slept for more than two hours straight since then. A drunken Poe had shared this with Leia once when she caught him attempting to sneak into the mess hall after hours, in which she promptly had taken him back to her quarters to discuss his dreams.

Since his confession, she constantly checked in with him to ensure he was resting. Most of the time he would lie, but he knew that she could see right through him. His emotionless eyes and dark eye bags usually gave it away.

Instead of sleeping, Poe found solace in the outdoors. The jungles of D'Qar reminded him of his home on Yavin 4. He usually chose to spend his nights out there.

That's where he had found Rey the previous night. He had been making his way towards his favorite spot, a large rock in the midst of the jungle, when he heard a rustling not too far. He had managed to sneak up on her, almost receiving a hard knock to the head because of it.

Rey had intrigued him from their first encounter. The way that she had connected and bonded with both BB-8 and Finn convinced him that they were meant to be friends, but he felt that there was something different about her. He knew that they had only known each other for a day, but each time they conversed made him desire more. She was just so different from the girls he was used to.

He knew that he had a reputation on base, and quite frankly he knew that he deserved it. He had never been a relationship man, breaking things off before things got too serious. He had a lot of partners in the past, but this past year had been different for him. He found himself becoming uninterested in solely sexual relationships. He wanted more than that, an actual relationship that promised a future. But, he never found the right woman to spark this for him.

This was what was so different about Rey for him. No woman had ever made him desire their company, yet he longed to interact and converse with Rey. He felt ridiculous about feeling this way after only a day, but he couldn't deny it. He had only hoped that his reputation wouldn't get in the way and scare her off.

Even though it had been over a year since he had been with a woman, his reputation still stood. He was hoping that people on the base would see his maturity, but that was unsuccessful. When he had spotted Rey having dinner with Rose Tico, he had hoped that this topic hadn't come up. At one point, he had looked over to lock eyes with Rey, only to have her look away with disappointment written all over her face.

This had spurred him to go talk to her. He had wanted to invite her to go for a walk with him, to make sure that she saw him for the man that he was, her mind not influenced by rumors. But, he had backed out when his nerves got the best of him. He returned to his room shortly after and chastised himself. There was no way that the best and most daring Resistance pilot had gotten nervous over asking a girl to go for a walk with him, but this was the case. Then again, this wasn't an ordinary girl. This was Rey.

"Commander Dameron," Leia spoke. His eyes, that had fallen to the floor as he was deep in thought, came to meet hers. She looked suspiciously conscious of what, or rather who, he had been thinking about.

"With all due respect, General, it could be a danger to the Resistance if I go. I'm the best pilot the Resistance has. What if the First Order attacks when I'm gone?" He asked her. Of course he wanted to go with Rey. But he also had a job to do to protect the Resistance, and the galaxy as well.

"I've considered this," Leia confirmed. "When Luke left, he took his X-Wing with him. I have no doubt that he is still in possession of his ship. If the Resistance were to fall under attack, I would make contact. You could easily make it back in his X-Wing by the time the First Order sends out their Tie-Fighters. Besides, we have other skilled pilots that could hold them off to give you time to arrive," Leia proposed.

Poe pondered this. It could definitely work. There was still a problem though. "If you were to contact us, then the First Order could breach our systems and locate Luke."

"That's a good point," Leia considered. "Rey will just have to ensure that her training will occur swiftly," she proposed. Poe and Leia both looked towards a still unconfident Rey. Rey looked up, struggling to find the words.

"When will we go?" She asked Leia. She understood that this was the best plan that they had. Though she doubted her ability, the confidence and support that Leia gave her had to mean something.

"As soon as possible. There's no time to lose," Leia proposed.

"The Falcon is damaged," Rey added. "It may take some time before it's ready."

"I've already covered that," Leia gave a small smile. "I sent Chewbacca to work on it this morning. Han was his best friend, so he needs a distraction," Leia said, sadness evident in her eyes. "I'll keep you both updated," she seemingly dismissed them.

Rey stood from her chair and made to exit, pausing slightly as she heard Leia request Poe's company alone. Once she had exited, Poe took the seat that she had been occupying.

"I'm sure there's one question still raging in your mind," Leia suggested.

"Yeah, there is," Poe confirmed as he shook his head and gave a deep sigh. "General, why me?"

Leia smiled expectedly, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. "If I'm being honest, you weren't involved in my initial plan whatsoever," she bit her lip. She knew that she was taking a risk sending her best pilot away. "This may seem like a rash decision, but Rey has only been here for a day and you're already benefitting from it. I can see a whole new change in your demeanor, just because of her."

Poe's cheeks flushed. He didn't know he was being that obvious. "I barely know her," he confessed. He felt foolish.

"Poe, don't forget that I know about your nightmares. Correct me if I'm wrong, but last night was the first night that you've slept nightmare-free since the interrogation," Leia paused. Poe nodded in response.

"It isn't a coincidence that Rey was with you. I'm doing this for you, Poe. You need it. Quit relying on those energy boosters to keep you awake," she said knowingly. Poe stared at her in shock. He didn't know that anyone knew. The fact was, he managed to function with little sleep because of a supply of energy drink supplements he had discovered in the med bay after he had been there after the interrogation. He always kept far away from Doctor Kalonia because of it, having to practically drag Rey out of the room the previous day to avoid her.

Leia shook her head to get herself back on track. "Anyway, as much as this mission will help you, it isn't a vacation. I have a," she paused, "separate mission for you."

"What is it?" an intrigued Poe asked.

"You are to look after Rey. I know Luke will be difficult to convince. When she gets discouraged, be there for her. When she gets angry, calm her down. I truly don't think she can do this without you, Poe," Leia stated.

Poe sat in thought. It all made sense to him. As much as he hated to admit it, this mission would help him tremendously. But there was still one issue gnawing at him.

"General, I know that there's nothing I can do to back out, but I still am expressing my concern for being so far away from the Resistance. If there's an attack, the Resistance needs me there. Making contact with us could be fatal for Rey and Luke if she's not successful. That could ruin our chances," Poe proposed, concern etched on his face.

"Ahh yes, I'm glad you reminded me. Poe, I won't be making contact with you. At least in a way that would be trackable by the First Order. As much as I trust in Rey, I don't know how she'll be able to perform under pressure, so I'm not letting her in on this part of the mission," Leia paused as she reached into her desk and pulled two wristbands out. "Poe, this is a homing beacon bracelet. I'll have one and you'll have one. If I ever need you to return early, you'll be notified with this," she confirmed, handing him one.

Poe reached out and took one of the bracelets in his hand, turning it over and analyzing it. "Why can't Rey know about it?" he asked.

"You don't have to hide it from her sight, but she can't know the bracelet's true function. Like I said, I trust her. Sending her to get my brother shows the level of trust I have in her. But, just in case something goes wrong, she can't know that the bracelet will lead her back to us. Just in case," she paused. She knew that Rey was powerful in the force, but there was always a chance, no matter how small, that Rey could hold the same fate as her son. "Just in case she takes Ben up on his offer," she finished, referencing the offer that her son had made Rey during their lightsaber duel. He had offered to teacher her, and Leia was worried that Rey would seek out his help if she was unsuccessful with Luke.

Poe didn't understand, but decided not to pry. The look in the General's face warned him not to. "General, I won't let you down," Poe stated as he got up to leave.

"I know you won't, Poe," Leia confirmed. "Rey is the Resistance's last hope, and I believe that you will be the reason for her success."

***Author's Note***

**And there you have it! Digging a little more into Poe was very fun to write. Please leave a review!**


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